Haitian Earthquake

As Virginia Baptists work in close cooperation with the Haiti Baptist Convention, Hungarian Baptist Aid and the Baptist World Alliance in their Long-Term Response Plan, opportunities for volunteers will become plentiful. 

Currently we are establishing our base of operation and coordinating efforts on the ground so that volunteers have a safe and secure place from which to function.  

Once this is completely established volunteers will be needed for construction, medical, children’s ministry, community service, teaching and a variety of other services. We anticipate that these volunteer needs will continue for the next several years.

We are not currently setting dates and making specific requests although we anticipate that will happening the near future as the Haitians get organized and the plan begins to solidify.  If you have a desire to serve and what to create or join a team then please contact us with your preferred dates and skills and we will be happy to help you get connected.

We are also partnering with the Southern Baptist Convention, Florida Baptist Convention and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to affect change and respond to the needs of our Haitian brothers and sisters.  Each of these organizations has different needs and requests and we are attempting to assist them in meeting those needs.

Current Needs – Volunteers are currently needed in the following areas (Disaster Relief training is not necessary for most teams):

• Medical Professionals
• Construction
• General Labor

• Medical Trainers
• Children’s Ministry
• Small Business Leaders
• Micro-finance managers

Please contact Jeannette Hildebrand or Nichole Bulls for more information about ways to engage.

Prayer and financial donations remain a necessary and beneficial mode of assistance with this disaster. Financial offerings will be used to make radical differences in the lives of the people of Haiti.

Over $400,000 has been contributed by our
BGAV congregations as of April 20, 2010.

One hundred percent of these funds are being used
to provide food, shelter, medical supplies
and long term, sustainable aid.

Please use Google Donations box to the right to help provide financial support of our relief efforts in Haiti. All donations are appreciated and can be given in any amount.

Our collection of medical supplies has ended for now.

Three thousand (3,000) pounds of supplies were sent on March 1, 2010 to Florida and were loaded onto a plane headed for Port-au-Prince. These supplies were sent to a central warehouse used by all certified hospitals and doctors across the entire region.This project was in partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. 

2:00 PM – Open photostory of Buckets of Hope.

View Photo Story of
Buckets of Hope Preparation

2:00 PM –The plans for the orphanage have received tentative approval and we are now awaiting the proper permits, which should be issued in the next 3-4 weeks. Once those are obtained, the construction can begin in earnest. An initial sum of money has been sent to Haiti to begin the construction of permanent replacement homes. Once this plan is established, more funds will follow.

Volunteer teams can plan to travel to Haiti and assist with this work. Housing has been established, as well as meals and transportation. Teams should be limited to 12 participants or less, and each person should be in very good health. It is extremely hot and humid, and the housing has no air conditioning. Costs will vary according to airfare. More details will be available on our website in the coming weeks. We are planning for a long-term recovery effort so dates can be chosen well into next year.

Volunteers Still Needed
Virginia Baptists are also looking for a few long-term volunteers to spend between six weeks and six months serving in Haiti. This person (should be a male or married couple) must possess the following skills:

• Ability to coordinate and manage several ongoing projects
• Excellent health
• Work well in an international setting

A detailed description will be available online once the job description is developed. We would like to send our first long-term volunteer from August 27-October 4, 2010 (dates somewhat flexible).

10:00 PM – Religious Herald posts article on Virginia Baptists launch long-term recovery plan for Haitian victims.
Open article on ReligiousHerald.org.

9:00 PM – Virginia Baptists Unveil Long-Term
Recovery Plan for Haiti

In the midst of a continued response to the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief leaders have released a long-term plan for the response effort in Haiti.

After many weeks of dialogue and prayerful consideration, Virginia Baptists are moving forward with a plan that will continue to meet the daily needs of those affected by the earthquake, as well as propel the local churches forward in their ability to minister to the Haitian people.

One of the key goals is to concentrate our resources in one community so that long-term relationships can be established and our resources can be leveraged to support each other and not scattered throughout the entire region.

The Virginia Baptist Mission Board will partner with the Haiti Baptist Convention, Baptist World Alliance, and Hungarian Baptist Aid in a plan that was designed by local pastors and other Haitian leaders. The plan will concentrate on an area of Port-au-Prince known as Delmas and includes:

• Building a new orphanage and school in the community (see above)
• Rebuilding homes surrounding the new facility
• Providing job training and other programs on site
• Micro-finance loans to create jobs and sustainability
• Rebuilding the damaged church
• Ongoing care for new orphanage (to be phased out over the course of three years so that it becomes self-sufficient)

Additional funds will be used to meet the needs of other established partners in the area such as the Southern Baptist Convention, Florida Baptist Convention, and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

This plan is based upon gifts received as of May 1, 2010. Additional funds will give us the ability to enhance our response and make an even larger impact in the Delmas community and assist the Haiti Baptist Convention in reaching their nation for Christ.

Your Involvement in Haiti
Volunteers will be utilized in nearly every phase of this recovery effort. Churches can begin making plans for teams to travel to Haiti and assist.

Details of the specific needs as well as travel information will be released on this site as soon as it becomes available. Church-to-church partnerships and other elationships will be encouraged as this recovery effort moves forward.

9:00 AM – Following last week's meeting in Port-au-Prince with Haitian Baptists and other international Baptist organizations, Dean Miller forecasts the potential of newly developing projects to foster long-term relationships and self-sustaining operations in Haiti.

For details, read the Religious Herald article:

Haitian Projects Developing as Virginia Baptists
and Overseas Partners Meet

4:30 PM – 125,796 meals were packaged by six shifts of Virginia Baptists on April 6 and 7 at the Stop Hunger Now warehouse in Richmond, VA.

4:00 PM – Virginia Baptists have been generous in their giving and the leadership of Virginia Baptist Disaster Response Ministries is dedicated to utilizing your gifts in the most appropriate manner.

To date approximately $30,000 has been utilized for food and $10,000 for medical supplies. The plan for remaining funds is currently under development in partnership with the Haitian Baptist Convention and Baptist Haiti Mission.

Housing (temporary and permanent), churches, schools, an orphanage as well as job training and micro-finance opportunities are all being discussed with a particular region in Port-au-Prince.

11:30 PM – Advance Notice e-newsletter subscribers received a Special Edition of Advance Notice with details of response.

This website will be updated as these plans develop, so please continue to return for additional news and announcements.

4:45 PM – Virginia Baptists’ response to Haiti continues even in the midst of frustration and confusion.

Current response plans are moving ahead, although very slowly, as we anxiously await the infrastructure in Haiti to become secure and reliable. Three hundred Virginia Baptists have already filled all of our time periods at the Stop Hunger now event. If you want to volunteer you can still contact Jeannette Hildebrand to be placed on the contact list to receive priority placement on the next activity.

We are also gearing up to receive all of the medical supplies that churches are collecting. Individuals, churches and associations are all working together in this monumental effort. We anticipate sending a truck load of supplies to Miami in a few weeks and then on to Haiti through one of our partner airlines. We will give a full report at the conclusion of that event.

Watch this Video on YouTube

2:30 PM – It is with heavy hearts that we continue to witness the devastation and destruction in the country of Haiti. After such a tragedy, many of us are overcome with a strong desire to help in any way possible.

To this point, prayer and financial donations
have been the most necessary and beneficial
mode of assistance. These continue to be
the most needed and valuable.

In addition, we have details regarding these two hands-on ministry opportunities that will significantly benefit the people of Haiti during this time of great need:

• Stop Hunger Now
• Medical Supplies Collection

3:00 PM – Advance Notice e-newsletter subscribers received a Special Edition of Advance Notice with details of response.

This website will be updated as these plans develop, so please continue to return for additional news and announcements.

4:45 PM – The situation in Haiti was complicated again today with another 6.1 aftershock. As could be expected, there continue to be many obstacles that hamper any form of mass response from volunteer organizations.

The leadership of Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief Ministries remain in constant communication with our international partners and stand ready to respond as soon as a viable plan can be established. We believe it is important to develop a sustainable plan as this situation will require extended assistance. 

Virginia Baptists have been generous in their monetary donations, which, along with prayer, continue to be the best form of response. We have been in contact with a BGAV Haitian congregation in the Roanoke area that covet your prayers as they suffer with their country and wait for updates on loved one.

1:15 PM – At this time the best way to respond continues to be with prayers and financial contributions.

Currently, volunteers are not needed but we anticipate teams being requested in the future. Our partners are on the field and making assessments of the situation. These partners are aware of the wealth of resources that Virginia Baptists have to offer and are encouraged to know that we stand with them ready to respond at a moment's notice.

Plans are also progressing for local, hands-on ministry opportunities to assist the Haiti earthquake victims.  Individuals should monitor this website for information regarding these opportunities.

Religious Herald is monitoring coverage of the Virginia Baptist response in Haiti. Here is a video of Dean Miller, Virginia Missions Coordinator, discussing how to provide help after the earthquake:

View on ReligiousHerald.org

The Virginia Baptist Mission Board has pledged $10,000 from its World Mission Initiative (WMI) funds to assist victims of this tragedy. WMI funds come from Cooperative Missions offerings. Cooperative Missions gifts also help to support the infrastructure of our Disaster Response ministries that keep us trained and ready to respond.

100% of designated offerings goes to the field for basic human needs – medicine, food, water, shelter. Checks should be made payable to the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and designated to “Haiti Earthquake” on the Notes line.

Please make your donations on this website
as funds received on this site during our response
are automatically designated for the Haiti relief effort.

1:30 PM – Advance Notice e-newsletter subscribers received a Special Edition of Advance Notice with details of response.

This website will be updated as these plans develop, so please continue to return for additional news and announcements.

4:30 PM – Leaders of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board disaster relief program are continuing to engage in conversations regarding assistance following the devastating earthquake that struck the island nation of Haiti.

Although many volunteers are willing to travel to Haiti to offer assistance, the infrastructure is not yet in place to receive these volunteers.

A common theme of many of the conversations taking place now revolves around groups of volunteers that have spontaneously deployed without proper support in place on the field location. These volunteers are now stuck in route due to difficulties actually getting into the affected area.

If the Virginia Baptist Mission Board sends a volunteer team, proper leadership on the field will be a priority not only for guidance in recovery efforts but also for security purposes.

At this time, the most appropriate and beneficial response is through prayer and monetary support.

5:00 PM – Below are copies of a prayer guide and slideshow used in the Warrenton Baptist Church yesterday evening.

Prayer Guide

Prayer Slideshow

Here too is a link to a YouTube video created by Donna and Lee Wilkers from their last mission trip to Ft. Liberte, Haiti, over Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Wilkers have partnered with Rev. Andre Jean and the Jerusalem Baptist Church over the past 20 years.

11:00 AM – At this time, leaders of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board Disaster Response program are engaged in several conversations to determine the most effective response plan for our resources and volunteers.

4:00 PM – Advance Notice e-newsletter subscribers received a Special Edition of Advance Notice with details of disaster and encouragement to pray for the needs of our neighbors in the Caribbean.

Watch this Video on YouTube